1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to alcohol sugar high intensity sweetener agglomerate compositions which are useful in food and pharmaceutical products because of their flowability, compressibility, mixability, stability and dissolution characteristics, among others and, in particular, to agglomerates of an alcohol sugar preferably mannitol and a high intensity sweetener preferably Aspartame which agglomerates are made using a fluid bed process and are used to make chewable tablets and particulate products requiring a high intensity sweetener, and to processes for making the co-agglomerates, tablets and particulate products.
2. Description of Related Art
A need has long existed in the food and pharmaceutical industry for high intensity sweetener containing products in a solid form which store well, are convenient Sand pleasant to take, efficacious, fast acting and storage stable. For example, a particulate product such as a sugar free ice tea mix requires that the product be free flowing and the high intensity sweetener stable to ingredients in the mix such as acidulents like citric acid. A high intensity sweetener is also used for a masking purpose to-mask the bad taste of active ingredients in a product such as a chewable tablet containing acetaminophen. Additionally, solid swallowable antacid tablets are not particularly good tasting and do not sweeten the breath, which would be extremely desirable characteristics of a chewable tablet product for those who suffer from esophagal reflux or sour breath.
High intensity sweeteners such as Aspartame unfortunately are not easily formulated in food and pharmaceutical products and this presents a formidable problem in the food and drug industries. Aspartame, for example, contains groups such as dipeptide linkages which are unstable when mixed with acidulents such as citric acid or an alkatine antacid material such as magnesium hydroxide. The breaking of the dipeptide link results in a loss of sweetness. Aspartame also enters into Maillard type "browning" reactions when mixed with a reducing sugar such as dextrose. Dissolution of the high intensity sweetener is also a problem because they generally evidence slow and undesirable dissolution in water, e.g., the sweetener floats on the surface of the water and slowly dissolves or the sweetener sinks to the bottom of the water and slowly dissolves. High intensity sweeteners typically are commercially available as fine powders which have a high degree of discernible static charge which makes homogenous mixing of the formulation difficult. Poor compressibility of high intensity sweeteners is an additional problem for formulators.
Bearing in mind the problems and deficiencies of the prior art, it is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a high intensity sweetener agglomerate composition which is stable, free flowing, compressible, mixable and has rapid dissolution properties and which is capable of being used in a variety of solid food and pharmaceutical products such as food and drink mixes and chewable tablets.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a tablet containing a high intensity sweetener which stores well and liquefies quickly in the mouth upon chewing and is pleasant tasting.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a tablet containing a high intensity sweetener which is made by direct compression and which tablet includes a substantial quantity of the sweetener which in its raw material form is a powder that can not be easily compacted into a cohesive tablet.
It is a further object of the invention to provide process for making high intensity sweetener containing agglomerates which can be used to make particulate and tablet food and pharmaceutical products.
Other objects and advantages of the invention will be readily apparent from the following description.